Support Trans Youth in South Carolina: Reject H3477

Lawmakers in South Carolina have filed a bill for the 2021 legislative session that targets transgender students for discrimination by excluding transgender student athletes from participating in public school sports.  The bill, H3477/S531, would forbid trans youth from participating on teams aligned with their gender identity, restricting their participation based on their “biological sex,” which the bill defines as the sex listed on a person’s original birth certificate.

We oppose H3477/S531 and ask you to join us.

Participation in athletics is vital part of students’ well-being, including their physical, social, and emotional health. Involvement in student sports provides young people with lessons about leadership, self-discipline, success, and failure – and can be critical to the experience of the joys and shared excitement of being part of a team. 

Transgender athletes participate in sports for the same reasons as everyone else – to learn good sportsmanship, get and stay healthy, be part of a team, and build a sense of belonging with their peers. They shouldn’t be barred from participating just because they are transgender. The Legislature should leave it to the experts – South Carolina High School League – to develop an eligibility policy for transgender students to compete in high school sports with reasonable restrictions to prevent boys from joining a girls’ sports team.

What trans youth need right now is love and support. Join us in sending messages of support to trans youth across SC. Get engaged in this work by adding your name using this form.